caving

Variant of cave

cave definition

cave (kāv)

noun

a hollow place inside the earth, usually an opening, as in a hillside, extending back horizontally; cavern

Etymology: ME & OFr < L cava, fem. of cavus, hollow < IE base *eu-, a swelling, arch, cavity

transitive verb caved, caving cav′·ing

to hollow out; make a hollow in

Etymology: < cavethe

intransitive verb

  1. to cave in
  2. to explore caves

Related Forms:

cave Idioms

cave in

  1. to fall or sink in or down; collapse
  2. to make collapse
  3. Informal to give way; give in; yield

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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